1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a half-fitting detection connector. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure for waterproofing a half-fitting detection connector which is capable of detecting a state of halfway engagement between a pair of connector housings by detecting the conductivity of a pair of engagement detecting contacts provided at a predetermined position on one connector.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-100892, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, various electronic equipment is mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile, and male and female connectors of various configurations are used for connection between such electronic equipment or the like and a wire harness or the like and for interconnection between various electric wires.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an example of a half-fitting detection connector which is capable of detecting a half-fitting state by a conductivity check when a pair of connector housings are incompletely fitted (i.e., are in the half-fitting state).
The aforementioned half-fitting detection connector 1 is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 9-73954 and the like, and is arranged such that, as shown in FIG. 4, when a male connector housing 3 accommodating female-type connection terminals 2 and a female connector housing 6 accommodating male-type connection terminals 5 are fitted and connected to each other, it is possible to detect whether the fitting between the male and female connector housings 3 and 6 is complete or incomplete by detecting the conductivity between a pair of engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 provided on the female connector housing 6.
As shown in FIG. 5, the pair of engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 are spaced apart from each other and arranged in parallel, and are resilient terminals whose tip portions 8a and 9a are elastically displaceable toward a connecting terminal plate 10 fixed to an arm engaging portion 6a of the female connector housing 6.
When the male and female connector housings 3 and 6 are fitted to each other, the tip portions 8a and 9a are displaced toward the connecting terminal plate 10 by a pressing portion 3b of a lock arm 3a provided on the male connector housing 3. When the male and female connector housings 3 and 6 assume a completely fitted and connected state, both of the pair of engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 are set in a state of being brought into pressure contact with the connecting terminal plate 10 by the resiliently urging force of the lock arm 3a, so that the engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 assume a mutually conducting and shortcircuited state.
On the other hand, if the fitting between the male and female connector housings 3 and 6 is incomplete, the displacement of the engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 due to the urging by the lock arm 3a is insufficient, and the engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 remain in a state of noncontact with the connecting terminal plate 10, so that the engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 do not conduct across them.
Accordingly, as the nonconductivity between the engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 is detected by an unillustrated electric circuit for detection, the occurrence of half-fitting between the male and female connector housings 3 and 6 can be detected reliably.
As for the connectors used in the connection of the wire harness in a vehicle, it is important to ensure waterproofness for them so that water will not enter the mutually connecting portions of connection terminals within the connector housing even when they are splashed with cleaning water during car washing, rainwater or the like.
In the case of the above-described half-fitting detection connector 1, the waterproofness against the mutually fitting and connecting portions of the connected connection terminals 2 and 5 can be realized relatively easily by, for instance, providing an annular seal member between mutually fitting portions of the male and female connector housings 3 and 6.
However, since the engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 for the conductivity check and the connecting terminal plate 10 are provided outwardly of the seal member provided between the mutually fitting portions of the male and female connector housings 3 and 6, and since mutual conduction must be ensured, it is difficult to prevent the entry of droplets of water from the outside. Hence, there is the possibility of the half-fitting detecting function becoming impaired by the contamination of the engagement detecting contacts 8 and 9 and the connecting terminal plate 10 due to the water droplets which entered.
To overcome the above-described drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a half-fitting detection connector which is capable of ensuring the waterproofness of the mutually connecting portions of the engagement detecting contacts for a conductivity check so as to prevent the half-fitting detecting function from becoming impaired due to the entry of droplets of water.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector which comprises a pair of connector housings fittable to each other, one of which includes a pressing portion; a seal member attachable between fitting portions of the connector housings; an attachment portion; a pair of engagement detecting contacts attachable to the attachment portion; and an elastically deformable waterproofing cap attachable onto the attachment portion so as to cover the engagement detecting contacts in a hermetically sealed state, wherein when at least one of the engagement detecting contacts is pressed by the pressing portion through the waterproofing cap, the engagement detecting contacts are brought into electrical contact with each other by the pressing portion, so that a connector fitting state of the connector housings is detected.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the attachment portion and the pressing portion may be located outside the fitting portions of the connector housings.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the connector may further comprises connection terminals insertable into the connector housings to extend in the fitting portions of the connector housings, wherein the connection terminals are electrically connected to each other when the connector housings are fitted to each other.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the other one of the connector housings may include the attachment portion.
In accordance with the above-described construction according to any one of the aspects of the present invention, with respect to mutually contacting portions of the engagement detecting contacts for a conductivity check, the entry of water from the outside is prevented by the waterproofing cap for covering these engagement detecting contacts in a hermetically sealed state. Of course, for example, with respect to mutually fitting and connecting portions of connection terminals accommodated in the connector housings, the entry of water from the outside is also prevented by the seal member provided between the fitting portions of the pair of connector housings.
In accordance with the above-described construction according to any one of the aspects of the present invention, when the connector housings are completely fitted to each other, the pair of engagement detecting contacts are, for example, shortcircuited by the pressing portion. At this time, the pressing portion presses and urges, for example, at least one engagement detecting contact through the elastically deformable waterproofing cap so that the engagement detecting contacts are brought into pressure (electrical) contact with each other.
Therefore, satisfactory waterproofness can be ensured not only for the mutually fitting and connecting portions of the connection terminals accommodated in the respective connector housings but also for the mutually contacting portions of the engagement detecting contacts for the conductivity check. Accordingly, the detection of half-fitting can be effected reliably.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.